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The Champlain Game Academy Offers High Schoolers Collaborative Experience Building Video Games

February 07, 2014
| by Champlain News

BURLINGTON, VT — The second annual Champlain College Game Academy, held on July 7-18, 2014, will help high school students interested in games explore the possibilities of the exciting and growing field of Game Development.

The two-week residence program introduces high school students to all aspects of game development--including game design, game art and animation, programming, sound, testing and production. Students will gain real-world experience by working as a development team that works together across all game development disciplines to build original game projects, say organizers.

Using the learning model of the acclaimed Champlain Game Studio, students at the Academy will work side-by-side in a creative cohort that stresses the importance of teamwork and creative collaboration. At the end of the Academy, students will have a full understanding of the behind-the-scenes operations of the world's professional game studios. Game Academy students will have the opportunity to focus on their areas of special interest, and with the instruction of industry professionals will co- create a finished portion of a game.

Academy graduates will gain an immersive experience in game development, and get a head start on building a portfolio to pursue their passion after high school.

Registration deadline is May 15, 2014. If you have questions, email gameacademy@champlain.edu, or call 802-651-5937.

Learn more about the Game Academy

What is the Champlain Game Academy?

A summer residential Game Development Academy to introduce high school students who are interested in any of the game disciplines (Art and Animation, Design, Programming, Sound, Testing and Production) to the process of interdisciplinary game development.

Who is the Champlain Academy intended for?

The Academy will benefit most greatly students who are seriously considering studying Game Development in college and/or are considering the game industry for a career. However, anyone who is interested in game development is welcome to attend.

Who will be running the Champlain Academy?

The Program Director is Dean Lawson. Lawson is professor of Game Programming at Champlain College and has been a game developer since 1994. He has worked on more than 15 published games for PC, PS2, Nintendo DS, Web and iPhone. Bridget Ryan, is the administrative director and is the contact person for all questions regarding registration.

Who will be teaching at the Academy?

All classes are designed and instructed by professors of Game Development at Champlain College. Current and recently graduated Game Development students will assist in the classroom.

What will I learn at the Academy?

You will learn how to use a 3-D game engine to develop interactive games. Depending on your interests, you can focus on creating 3D Art and Animations, designing games (emphasis on level design), programming, creating music and sound effects, or testing and the production process. At the end of the Academy you will have a finished portion of a game that was created by you and students from other disciplines working together as a team. The game can serve as the centerpiece of your game portfolio (many schools require portfolios for admission into their game development programs). Most importantly, you will have your love of games and interest in how they are made confirmed before you embark on your college career.

Founded in 1878, Champlain College is a small, not-for-profit, private college in Burlington, Vermont, with additional campuses in Montreal, Canada, and Dublin, Ireland. Champlain offers a traditional undergraduate experience from its beautiful campus overlooking Lake Champlain and over 90 residential undergraduate and online undergraduate and graduate degree programs and certificates. Champlain's distinctive career-driven approach to higher education embodies the notion that true learning occurs when information and experience come together to create knowledge. Champlain College is included in the Princeton Review's The Best 382 Colleges: 2018 Edition. For the third year in a row, Champlain was named a "Most Innovative School" in the North by U.S. News & World Report's 2018 "America's Best Colleges," and an "A+ School for B Students" and is ranked in the top 100 Regional Universities of the North. Champlain is also featured in the Fiske Guide to Colleges for 2018 as one of the "best and most interesting schools" in the United States, Canada and Great Britain and is a 2018 College of Distinction. For more information, visit www.champlain.edu.